To set up the main event match on Raw last night (Oct. 30) between Alexa Bliss and Mickie James for the Women’s title, WWE had the champ say this in an exchange with General Manager Kurt Angle where she was offering to help him do his job:
“First off, I suggest we - you know - improve the quality of the Women’s division. You know, cut some of the dead weight. Like Mickie James. We can easily replace her with anyone from the Mae Young Classic. In fact, we can probably just dig up Mae.”
#RAW GM @RealKurtAngle just made a HUGE main event for tonight...as @AlexaBliss_WWE will defend her #WomensTitle against @MickieJames! pic.twitter.com/vvQh8nwa5M
— WWE (@WWE) October 31, 2017
Obviously, this is directed at James, and the line about “digging up” the deceased Hall of Famer fits with the age jokes Bliss has been making about the six-time champ for weeks.
But this also went on the air just over 24 hours after WWE did release three wrestlers, two of them women assigned to Raw.
I’m not saying it was a deliberate slight directed at Emma or Summer Rae (although I’m expecting there to be a rumor saying it was in 3... 2... 1...), but it’s at least bad timing, right? That Alexa went on to win her match isn’t a great look for Mickie, or Kurt, but that’s an overall issue with WWE’s presentation of heroes and villains, especially among the ladies. It didn’t help me process what felt like a tone deaf moment here in regards to the recent cuts, either, though.
Y’all tell me if I’m being too sensitive, because I can’t decide.